Hand paddle for swimming to which the distal portion of a user&#39;s arm is intended to be attached

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a hand paddle for swimming that has an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user&#39;s arm is attached and a lower propulsion blade. The hand paddle is equipped with a device for holding the hand paddle on the user&#39;s arm having an aperture formed through the paddle and a member mounted movable in the aperture and having an interface that is arranged on top of the wall. The interface being arranged to receive at least one finger of the user and arranged to hold the finger against the interface, the member being equipped with an element elastically constraining the movement. The element is arranged between the blade and the member and is reversibly compressible between an extended state, in which the member is arranged in a low position holding the user&#39;s finger, and a compressed state in which the member is arranged in a high position placing the user&#39;s finger on the interface.

This application claims the benefit of International application number PCT/FR2017/051206, filed May 18, 2017 and French patent application number 1654990, filed on Jun. 1, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a hand paddle for swimming having a lower propulsion blade and an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user's arm is intended to be attached.

When learning how to swim or during training exercises, it is common to use a pair of hand paddles for swimming making it possible to increase the propulsion surface in order to improve the feelings of sliding in the water and in order to be able to correct the gestures and/or perform specific muscular exercising of the upper members in the water.

Such hand paddles have different shapes and dimensions according to the desired effect, by extending under a distal portion of the user's arm, in particular only under at least one portion of the hand and/or under the user's forearm, with a propulsion surface which is greater than that of the distal portion.

In order to ensure the positioning of the hand paddles during swimming, the latter are generally provided with a device arranged to be able to reversibly hold the distal portion of the arm against the upper wall of the hand paddle.

It is known for example from document EP-0 844 901 a palm paddle attached under the hand of the user by means of interchangeable elastic ties which are arranged to adjustably surround respectively the fingers and the joint of the wrist of the user.

In particular, each elastic tie comprises two free ends which are engaged respectively in an orifice that passes through the hand paddle in order to form a surrounding upper portion, each free end then being inserted into an adjacent orifice in order to allow for the holding of the tie relatively to the hand paddle.

However, the mounting of these ties can be tedious by requiring an adjusted insertion of the ties in the orifices, the conferred adjusting moreover having little reliability in relation to the risks of modification even of loss of the ties during the use of the hand paddles.

Also known from document U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,794 is a hand paddle for swimming of which the device for holding comprises an aperture formed through the hand paddle and a sliding rod in the aperture, the rod having a disc mounted on the upper end thereof in order to ensure the axial holding of the fingers on it.

In particular, a rubber socket surrounds the rod in order to allow for an adjustment of the height and/or of the inclination of the disc during the positioning of the fingers. To do this, the user can in particular exert a manual pressing on the disc after having placed the rod between his fingers.

However, this solution does not provide full satisfaction, in that the socket does not make it possible to render reliable the holding of the fingers on the hand paddle during the use thereof, in particular subsequent to a stress on the upper wall of the hand paddle that would make the fingers put the disc away from the wall and therefore cause the loss of the adjustment that was carried out during the initial placing of the fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to improve prior art by proposing a hand paddle for swimming of which the device for holding the distal portion of a user's arm is easily adjustable to the morphology of the fingers of the user, and this while guaranteeing the reliability of the holding during the use of the hand paddle.

To this effect, the invention proposes a hand paddle for swimming having an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user's arm is intended to be attached and a lower propulsion blade, the hand paddle being equipped with a device for holding the hand paddle on the distal portion, the device comprising an aperture formed through the hand paddle and a member mounted movable in the aperture along an axis, the member having an interface that is arranged above the upper wall, the interface being arranged to receive at least one finger of the user and comprising means arranged to hold the at least one finger against the interface, the member being equipped with an element elastically constraining the movement thereof in a position for holding the at least one finger between the means of holding and the upper wall, the elastically constraining element being arranged between the lower blade and the member, the element being reversibly compressible between an extended state for placing the member in a low position for holding the at least one finger and a compressed state for placing the member in a high position for positioning the at least one finger on the interface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other particularities and advantages of the invention shall appear in the following description, given in reference to the accompanying figures which show a hand paddle for swimming according to the invention, respectively as a perspective top view (FIG. 1), as a top view (FIG. 2a ), as a cross section along the plane C of FIG. 2a (FIG. 2b ), as a side view (FIG. 3) and as a front view (FIG. 4).

In relation with these figures, a hand paddle is described hereinbelow for swimming used generally in pairs, with each one being worn by the distal portion of the arm of a user with the purpose of work for improving the technique for swimming and/or muscularly exercising the arms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In this description, the terms of positioning in space are in particular taken in reference to the position of the hand paddle in the figures. In particular, the terms “front”, “rear”, “left” and “right” relate to a disposition respectively on the left, on the right, at the bottom and at the top in FIG. 2 a. Moreover, the terms “axial” and “radial” are taken in reference to the axis A of movement of the member of the device for holding, and correspond to a direction respectively parallel and perpendicular to this axis A.

In particular, the hand paddle is arranged to extend under a distal portion of the arm, namely at least one portion of the hand and/or the forearm of the user, leaving the elbow joint free in order to allow for correct swimming gestures.

The hand paddle comprises an upper wall 1 whereon is intended to be attached the distal portion of the arm, the wall able to have a planar geometry or complementary with the distal portion in order to optimise the ergonomics. Advantageously, the upper wall 1 is arranged in order to indifferently support the distal portion of the left arm or of the right arm of the user.

In relation to the figures, the hand paddle comprises a lower propulsion blade 2 which is arranged in order to improve the thrush in water and to allow for an optimum feeling of sliding. In particular, the blade 2 extends at least under the upper wall 1 having dimensions that are greater than those of the distal portion attached onto the upper wall in order to increase the propulsion surface thereof, the blade able to further have an ergonomic shape that favours the stability of swimming. Alternatively, hand paddles that are smaller than the hand are known which are used to work on the technique.

The hand paddle is preferably rigid for a better taking of support and is made from a single piece, for example via injection moulding of one or several thermoplastic materials such as polypropylene or an elastomer material (SEBS). Alternatively, the hand paddle can be relatively flexible, for example by being made with a textile layer of the mesh type that is stretched in a frame.

In the embodiment shown, the hand paddle has dimensions arranged to extend under the hand of the user. Alternatively, the hand paddle can in particular be arranged to extend only under the fingers of the user, according to the type of exercises that can be performed with the hand paddle and/or the level of swimming of the user.

The hand paddle can have several dimensions and/or geometries, in particular according to the shape and the dimensions of the hand and/or of the fingers, the age and/or the gender of the user. To do this, categories of users can be predefined and, for each one of them, standard dimensions can be determined for the hand paddle.

In relation with the FIGS. 2b and 3, the upper wall 1 has front 3 and rear 4 surfaces which are arranged to respectively receive the fingers and the palm of the hand of the user against them, in particular by being respectively concave and convex in order to hug the hand and optimise the comfort of use. Moreover, the blade 2 has a surface formed under the upper wall 1 by extending in particular under the front 3 and rear 4 surfaces.

In particular, a transversal plane T is defined for the hand paddle, the hand paddle having a symmetry along a sagittal plane B perpendicular to the transversal plane T, in order in particular to favour an aligned positioning of the hand on the hand paddle.

In order to allow for the holding of the distal portion on the upper wall 1, the hand paddle is equipped with a device that comprises an aperture 8 formed through it, in particular on the front surface 3, as well as a member 5 that is mounted movable in the aperture along an axis A.

The member 5 has an interface 6 arranged above the upper wall 1, the interface being arranged to receive at least one finger of the user and comprises means arranged to ensure the holding, in particular axial and radial, of the at least one finger on it. In the embodiment shown, the interface 6 is arranged in order to allow for the positioning thereof between two fingers of the user.

In particular, the axis A of movement of the member 5 extends, as a front view, along a direction perpendicular to the transversal plane T of the hand paddle and, as a side view, by forming an angle with the transversal plane, for example between 0 and 40°. Moreover, in order to ensure a good holding of the hand paddle on the hand of the user, the member 5 is mounted on the hand paddle in such a way as to be able to arrange the interface 6 between the middle finger and the ring finger of the hand, in particular by being offset towards the left or towards the right with respect to the sagittal plane B, according to the hand on which the hand paddle is intended to be worn. Alternatively, the same hand paddle can be used by arranging the interface 6 between the forefinger and the middle finger for one hand or between the middle finger and the ring finger for the other hand.

In the embodiment shown, the aperture comprises a slot 8 that extends over the hand paddle along a longitudinal plane C perpendicular to the transversal plane T. Furthermore, the member 5 extends in the plane C and is movably mounted in the slot 8 along an axis A contained in the plane C perpendicular to the transversal plane T.

In particular, the plane C extends parallel to the sagittal plane B by being offset on the right with respect to the sagittal plane, in order to allow the hand paddle to be worn on the right hand of a user by arranging the interface 6 between the middle finger and the ring finger of the right hand or between the forefinger and the middle finger of the left hand. In an alternative not shown, the plane C can be offset on the left with respect to the sagittal plane B, in order to allow the hand paddle to be worn on the left hand of a user by arranging the interface 6 between the middle finger and the ring finger of the left hand or between the forefinger and the middle finger of the right hand.

Furthermore, the member 5 is mounted in the slot 8 by defining an upper portion and a lower portion that are respectively arranged above the upper wall 1 and below the blade 2, the upper and lower portions respectively forming the interface 6 and a base 9 of the member 5.

The interface 6 comprises two opposite lateral surfaces 10 which are radially spaced by an interdigital distance, the lateral surfaces being shaped in such a way as to be able to receive as support respectively an internal lateral portion of a finger, in particular by pinching of the fingers around the interface 6 during the placement thereof on it.

Moreover, the means for holding comprise two radial surfaces 7 that extend on either side of the interface 6, each one of the radial surfaces being shaped in such a way as to be able to bear against respectively an upper portion of a finger in order to provide the axial holding thereof. In particular, the member 5 has two radial fins 11 that extend on either side and from the upper end of the interface 6, each fin 11 having a radial lower surface 7 intended to bear against respectively an upper portion of a finger. According to an embodiment, the radial fins 11 may not extend parallel to the upper wall 1 of the hand paddle.

Advantageously, the longitudinal plane C forms a plane of symmetry for the member 5. In particular, the radial fins 11 extend symmetrically on either side of the interface 6 while being integrally formed with it, in particular by moulding in a single piece.

In the embodiment shown, each radial surface 7 has a geometry arranged to also ensure the radial holding of the fingers, in particular curved in order to be complementary with the upper portion of the finger on which it is intended to bear against, so as to improve the radial holding of the finger on the interface 6 by hugging the upper portion.

Furthermore, each radial surface 7 respectively extends a lateral surface 10, in particular by being connected to the lateral surface by the intermediary of a curved fillet 12, in order to best hug the portions of the finger intended to bear against each one of the surfaces. Moreover, at least one lateral 10 and/or radial 7 surface can be provided with a comfort coating during the wearing, in particular made of flexible material, for example with an elastomer base.

The member 5 is provided with an elastically constraining element 13 of the movement thereof in a holding position of the fingers between the radial holding surfaces 7 and the upper wall 1, the fingers being in particular axially and radially surrounded between the upper wall and the radial surfaces in the holding position. The elastically constraining element 13 can in particular be made of an elastomer material, for example rubber or silicone.

In particular, the elastically constraining element 13 is arranged between the lower blade 2 and the member 5, the element being reversibly compressible between an extended state for placing the member in a low position for holding the fingers, and a compressed state for placing the member in a high position for positioning the fingers on the interface 6.

Thus, when the user puts on the hand paddle, the user only has to exert a manual force on the member 5 along the axis A in order to move it into the high position, in order to have a sufficient space between the radial surfaces 7 and the upper wall 1 in order to be able to place his fingers on the interface 6. To do this, he can pull the interface 6 upwards, in particular by grasping the fins 11, and/or push the base 9 and/or the element 13 upwards.

During this movement, the elastically constraining element 13 is arranged in a compressed state, in such a way that the user only has to release the member 5 in order to release the element, and thus allow for the movement of the member in the lower position for holding the fingers via elastic return of the element to the extended state thereof.

In the embodiment shown, the elastically constraining element 13 is attached to at least one portion of the base 9 of the member 5 and has an outer dimension that is greater than that of the aperture 8, so as to not pass through the aperture and therefore be compressed during the movement of the member 5 in the high position. More precisely, the element 13 is shown attached around the base 9. According to an embodiment not shown, the elastically constraining element 13 can be formed from a single piece with the member 5.

In particular, the elastically constraining element 13 is in upper support against the blade 2 and attached as lower support against a lower end of the base 9, in particular by being overmoulded or assembled to the base 9. Alternatively, the elastically constraining element 13 can be overmoulded or assembled to the lower blade 2 in order to be attached to the blade and to the member 5.

In relation with FIG. 2 b, the base 9 has a central axial imprint 14 and two lateral radial imprints 15 formed on the lower end thereof, and wherein the elastically constraining element 13 is anchored respectively axially and radially. Alternatively, the base 9 can have at least one lateral imprint in the shape of a cross wherein the elastically constraining element 13 is anchored.

Moreover, the elastically constraining element 13 has at least one hole 16, in particular several holes 16 formed facing the lower end and/or the front and/or rear surfaces of the base 9, in order to facilitate the deformation thereof in the compressed state and its elastic return in the extended state.

Advantageously, possibly as a complement of the holes 16, grooves, in particular in the number of two, can be formed inside the element 13 in order to design the deformation thereof in compression and prevent as well the element from risking to become detached from the base 9.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 b, the member 5 comprises at least one abutment 17 formed on the lower end of the interface 6, the abutment bearing against the upper wall 1 in order to define a nominal position of the member in the absence of fingers. In particular, the elastically constraining element 13 is arranged to be substantially non-stressed or slightly compressed in this nominal position, providing only the shimming of the member 5 on the hand paddle.

Furthermore, in order to render reliable the holding of the hand on the upper wall 1 during the use of the hand paddle, the elastically constraining element 13 in the extended state can retain a compression that is sufficient to exert a force of thrusting the fingers against the upper wall 1 by the intermediary of the radial surfaces 7. In particular, the member 5 can be arranged so that the abutment 17 is not bearing against the upper wall 1 when the fingers are held under the radial surfaces 7.

The device for holding can further include at least one strap 18 a, 18 b arranged in order to be able to hold on the upper wall 1 a portion of the distal portion of the arm that extends behind the fingers of the user. In particular, when the hand paddle is intended to be worn over the entire hand of the user, the strap 18 a, 18 b can be arranged to hold the wrist of the user on the rear surface 4 of the upper wall 1. According to an advantageous embodiment, at least one strap 18 a, 18 b is removable in order to be able to use the hand paddle with or without it.

In relation with the figures, the device for holding comprises two straps 18 a, 18 b which each have a lower end mounted in respectively a rear slot 19 of the hand paddle, the slots being formed on the rear surface 4 by being symmetrical with respect to the sagittal plane B.

In particular, a first strap 18 a has an upper end to which an adjusting loop 20, for example made of plastic or metal material, is associated by assembly or overmoulding. According to an embodiment, the first strap 18 a can be formed of a portion made of elastomer that overmoulds an adjusting loop 20 made of rigid plastic.

Moreover, the second strap 18 b has a free end 21 which is slidably mounted in the adjusting loop 20, in order to allow, via traction of the free end, the adjusting of the length of the second strap and as such make possible, regardless of the user, a suitable thrusting of his wrist on the rear surface 4 of the upper wall 1.

The straps 18 a, 18 b can be made from a thermoplastic material or have the form of resistant textile strips, for example with a nylon base, the lower ends thereof being attached in the slots 19. The straps 18 a, 18 b can also be slidably mounted in the slots 19, in particular by having lower ends which are reversibly blocked in the slots at the end of sliding.

Moreover, the adjusting loop 20 can be self-locking, in order to allow for fast thrusting and loosening. In relation with the figures, in particular FIG. 2 a, the adjusting loop 20 is formed as a single piece by having a housing 22 defined between two longitudinal walls 23, an upper pull tab 24 and a lower wall 25 connecting the longitudinal walls by transversally delimiting the housing.

The upper end of the first strap 18 a is associated with the lower wall 25, the second strap 18 b being mounted in the housing 22. In particular, the housing 22 is provided with a central axis 26 around which the strap 18 b is slidably mounted, the strap being engaged in two mounting slots formed on either side of the central axis. The housing 22 is arranged to authorise the sliding of the strap 18 b in a thrusting direction by pulling on the free end 21 thereof and blocking the sliding in the opposite direction in the absence of the pulling.

When the user wants to finalise the attaching of the hand paddle on his hand, it is sufficient for him to pull the free end 21 towards the outside of the strap 18 b in order to cause it to slide in the thrusting direction. Moreover, the raising of the pull tab 24 upwards makes it possible to release the sliding in the opposite direction in order to be able to remove the hand paddle after use. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Hand A hand paddle for swimming having an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user's arm is intended to be attached and a lower propulsion blade, the hand paddle being equipped with a device adapted for holding the hand paddle on the distal portion, the device comprising an aperture formed through the hand paddle and a member mounted movable in the aperture along first axis, the member having an interface that is arranged above the upper wall, the interface being adapted to receive at least one finger of the user and comprising a surface adapted to hold the at least one finger against the interface, the surface being equipped with an element elastically constraining the movement thereof in a position for holding the at least one finger between the surface and the upper wall, wherein the elastically constraining element is arranged between the lower blade and the member, the element being reversibly compressible between an extended state for placing the member in a low position for holding said the at least one finger and a compressed state for placing the member in a high position for positioning the at least one finger on the interface.
 2. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the first axis of movement of the member extends, as a front view, along a direction perpendicular to a transversal plane of the hand paddle and, as a side view, by forming an angle with the transversal plane.
 3. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the interface comprises two opposite lateral surfaces which are radially spaced by an interdigital distance allowing for the positioning of the interface between two fingers, the surfaces being adapted to receive as support respectively an internal lateral portion of a user's finger.
 4. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 3, wherein two radial surfaces extend on either side of the interface, each one of the surfaces being adapted to press against respectively an upper portion of a finger in order to provide the axial holding thereof.
 5. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 4, wherein the radial surfaces extend from the upper end of the interface.
 6. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 4, wherein the radial surfaces have a geometry arranged to also provide the radial holding of the fingers.
 7. The hand paddle according to claim 4, wherein each one of the radial surfaces respectively extends a lateral surface
 8. The hand paddle according to claim 3, wherein at least one lateral and/or radial surface is provided with a comfort coating.
 9. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the elastically constraining element is attached to at least one base portion of the member, the element having an outside dimension that is greater than that of the aperture.
 10. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 9, wherein the elastically constraining element is in upper support against the blade.
 11. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 9, wherein the elastically constraining element is overmoulded or assembled to the base and/or to the lower blade.
 12. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 9, wherein the base has at least one imprint wherein the elastically constraining element is axially anchored.
 13. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the elastically constraining element is formed from a single piece with the member.
 14. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the member comprises at least one abutment that is pressing against the upper wall in order to define a nominal position of the member in the absence of a finger, wherein the elastically constraining element is arranged to be substantially non-stressed or slightly compressed.
 15. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein grooves are formed inside the element in order to design the deformation thereof in compression.
 16. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the elastically constraining element has at least one hole in order to facilitate the deformation thereof in the compressed state and its elastic return in the extended state.
 17. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the device for holding further comprises at least one strap adapted to hold on the upper wall a portion of the distal portion of the arm that extends behind the fingers of the user.
 18. The hand paddle for swimming according to claim 1, wherein the member is mounted on the hand paddle by being offset towards the left or towards the right with respect to the a sagittal plane of the hand paddle. 